All Chapters of Too Late to Regret: The Billionaire’s Unwanted Ex: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The aftermath of the courthouse was a media firestorm, but inside Elara’s penthouse, the world was quiet. Lucian stood in the kitchen, not as a titan of industry, but as a man struggling to understand the mechanics of a high-end grilled cheese sandwich."You’re burning the butter," Elara said, her voice coming from the doorway.Lucian jumped, nearly dropping the spatula. He looked over his shoulder, a smear of flour on his cheek. "I thought… I thought if I made dinner for the kids, it would give you a break. Julian had an emergency call at the hospital."Elara walked over, gently taking the spatula from his hand. Their fingers brushed—a brief, searing contact that made Lucian’s heart hammer against his ribs. She didn't pull away immediately. Instead, she looked at the mess on her marble counters."You bought a law firm today, Lucian," she said softly, scraping the burnt butter into the sink. "And now you’re trying to conquer a stove. Why?""Because the law firm was easy," Lucian admit

The world blurred into a smear of grey and neon as Lucian’s Maybach tore through the streets of Manhattan. Beside him, Elara was a statue of terror, her knuckles white as she gripped the door handle."I can't get through to the nanny," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Lucian, if he touches them... if he so much as scares them...""He won't," Lucian vowed, his voice a low, vibrating growl. He was typing furiously on his phone, bypassing the penthouse’s local security to hardwire into the internal speakers. "Leo! Leo, can you hear me?"Static hissed through the car’s speakers, followed by a small, calm voice. "I hear you, Shark Man.""Leo, listen to me very carefully," Lucian said, his heart hammering so hard it felt like it would crack his ribs. "Is there someone in the house?""Yes," Leo whispered. "He has a big bag and a loud voice. He’s in the kitchen with the nanny. He told her to be quiet. I took Mia into the panic room under your bed, Mama. Like the drill we practiced."Elara

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of the master bedroom, painting stripes of gold across the duvet. For the first time in five years, Lucian Thorne didn't wake up reaching for a phone, a tablet, or a bottle of aspirin.He woke up reaching for her.Elara was asleep against his chest, her breathing a soft, rhythmic lullaby that settled the chaos in his soul. Lucian lay perfectly still, terrified that if he moved, he would wake up back in his cold, empty mansion. He traced the line of her spine with a reverence he had never possessed before."Stop thinking so loud," Elara mumbled into his skin, her voice thick with sleep. "I can hear your brain calculating risk assessments."Lucian chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. He kissed the top of her head. "I wasn't calculating risks. I was calculating how much it would cost to buy the building across the street so I can stare at you from my office."Elara lifted her head, her blue eyes bright with amusement. "You’re obsessed,

Elara Vance adjusted her blazer in the mirror of the ScentTech lobby, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. Today was monumental. After the scandal with Serena, the public was hungry for Elara’s comeback. The launch of her new fragrance, Renaissance, was projected to break sales records."You look fierce," Lucian said, leaning against the doorframe of her office. He was wearing his usual armor—a bespoke three-piece suit—but his eyes were tired. He had driven her to work himself, insisting his driver was "sick," though Elara suspected he just didn't want to let her out of his sight."I feel fierce," Elara smiled, grabbing her tablet. "The manufacturing plant in Grasse just sent the final batch. We go live at noon."Lucian forced a smile. "I'll be right here. Watching the numbers go up."But the moment Elara walked into the conference room, the atmosphere shifted. Her team looked pale. Her COO, a sharp woman named Sarah, was gripping her phone like a lifeline."Elara," Sarah whispered. "We

The playground of Little Einsteins Academy was usually a place of joyous screaming. Today, it was the screaming of sirens.Two black armored trucks screeched onto the curb, flanking Lucian’s Maybach. Men in heavy tactical gear spilled out, pushing terrified parents aside to form a perimeter."Secure the exits!" Lucian roared, tearing off his suit jacket as he sprinted toward the gym doors. "Nobody leaves until every bag is checked!"Inside, the Tech Fair had dissolved into confusion. The Headmaster was trying to calm weeping parents when the doors burst open. Lucian scanned the room with the eyes of a madman until he spotted the mop of dark curls."Leo! Mia!"He didn't walk; he vaulted over a display table of papier-mâché volcanoes. He scooped both children up, crushing them against his chest so hard that Mia let out a squeak of protest."Did he touch you?" Lucian demanded, pulling back to check their arms, their faces. "Did he give you anything else? Where is it?""Mr. Thorne!" The H